Sun 15 Dec 2019
Walter Albert Reviews Three PHILO VANCE Movies.
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[7] Comments
One of the striking benefits of satellite [TV] is the quality of the transmissions with a picture that approaches the quality of a laser disc. Add to this the superior condition of many of the prints Turner [Classic Movies] screens, and the result can be extraordinary, as it was in The Kennel Murder Case (1933), one of a series of screenings of Philo Vance films.
The taut, swift direction by Michael Curtiz and the acting of the first-rate cast [William Powell as Philo Vance, Mary Astor, Eugene Pallette, Ralph Morgan, Robert McWade as District Attorney Markham, Robert Barrat] have probably not been displayed to better advantage in years.
Turner is not, however, always able to produce pristine prints, and the dark print of The Bishop Murder Case (1930; dir. Nick Grindé), coupled with an almost funereal pace, made this painful to watch. Basil Rathbone was a stiff Vance in a Lenore J. Coffee adaptation, and only dependable Roland Young brought a spark to his few scenes. Would a better print have altered my opinion?
The film opens with a striking overhead shot of a New York mansion, but much of the action takes place inside the house, where any efforts of artful lighting are undermined by the print.
Much better and something of a return to the glossy form that marked the best of the MGM Vances was The Casino Murder Case (1935; dir. Edwin L. Marin) with Vance played by Paul Lucas. Maltin doesn’t like Lucas, whom he calls stolid with a thick accent. Stolid certainly describes Rathbone’s performance, but I found Lucas to be charming and polished, with only a slight accent.
Rosalind Russell has one of her early roles here as Vance’s unofficial sidekick. The supporting cast includes: Alison Skipworth, Eric Blore, Ted Healy, Donald Cook, Leo G. Carroll and William Demarest, and I enjoyed this even though the mystery was resolved with a not-very-convincing nutty murder confrontation.
December 15th, 2019 at 11:36 am
I am not as sold on William Powel as most film buffs seem to be, but detest Basil Rathbone and Paul Lukas in leads, I am however a big fan of Lenore J. Coffee’s work, as were most of the studio heads during the thirties and forties.
December 15th, 2019 at 2:23 pm
A couple of Philo Vance DVDs are now available for film & Vance fans. The Warner Bros. Archive Collection: “Philo Vance Murder Case Collection” has the best prints of six of the films including The Bishop Murder Case.” I agree with Albert about that film though it remains a favorite as it & The Greene Murder Case are the best of the original Vance novels. The completeist, however, will want “The Philo Vance Film Collection” from 1776 Media Group at onesmedia.com. This one has ’em all from 1929 to pilot TV episodes in the 1950s. My personal favorite of the series, which I’ve viewed several times, is The Dragon Murder Case (1934) with Warren William.
December 15th, 2019 at 3:53 pm
Warren William struck just the right balance for Vance: not as stuffy as Rathbone, but more serious than Powell.
December 15th, 2019 at 4:29 pm
Ah, yes. Warren William. Very close to perfect!
December 15th, 2019 at 8:12 pm
You can find copies on YouTube of the early Powell Vance films GREENE and BENSON to compare including one with Louise Brooks as the victim that features some stunning scenes of her character performing on a trapeze above a startled audience in a theater.
KENNEL, though not my favorite Vance book, is the best of the films by far, and many critics consider it the best of the books too. For me the best book would be BISHOP, but it is a sadly lacking film with Rathbone badly miscast as Vance, and I don’t think a better print than the one TCM has exists.
GARDEN with Edmond Lowe is actually a good mystery and Lowe a good Vance, though you may notice that the ending of that film and book was lifted whole cloth for the Sherlock Holmes outing THE WOMAN IN GREEN.
I admire DRAGON and Warren Williams performance as Vance. I rank it high in the series, second only to KENNEL. Sadly I have never seen THE GRACIE ALLEN MURDER CASE with Williams though I understand you can see he was having fun playing opposite Gracie, and Wright (Van Dine) was quite taken with her.
KENNEL was remade as CALLING PHILO VANCE as a B with James Stephenson as Vance and a bit of a spy plot added. It isn’t bad and Stephenson actually pretty good, but clearly a B programer.
Lukas is not a favorite leading man, and oddly cast as Vance, but the film has a solid cast, a decent plot, and more than a little wit and humor with a side of Lukas seen to seldom in films. Russell is quite good.
Though there is no English translation there are at least two of the Italian Vance television episodes on YouTube. Like the Lord Peter series they are set in the 20’s and well realized and the actor playing Vance is the closet I have ever seen to the description given in the books of a Nordic superman.
The later Vance films after CALLING would try anyone’s patience.
December 15th, 2019 at 8:20 pm
A great summary/recap of all the Vance films, David. Thanks! And no, no one would disagree with you one iota regarding your very last line.
December 16th, 2019 at 11:43 am
My review of PHILO VANCE, DETECTIVE can b found here https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=19210
PV DETECTIVE was an edited hack job of the PRC theatrical PHILO VANCE SECRET MISSION (1947). I discuss the PRC Vance and TV’s uses of movie shorts and B-movies.